Punjab govt forms medical board to examine Nawaz Sharif’s health reports

• Special medical board to evaluate Nawaz’s medical report regarding his health condition.
• Board to submit assessment report to Punjab govt in five days.
• Provincial govt to devise course of action to bring Nawaz back and initiate legal proceedings against his guarantor Shahbaz Sharif. 

In line with the federal cabinet’s decision, the Punjab government on Friday has formed a medical board to examine PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s health reports submitted in Lahore High Court (LHC), Geo News reported.

A special medical board comprising nine senior doctors will submit an assessment report to the provincial government in five days after the evaluation of former premier Nawaz Sharif’s medical record regarding his health condition.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif left for London in November 2019 following his illness as Prime Minister Imran Khan had granted him permission to go abroad for medical treatment.

In the light of the medical board’s recommendations, the next course of action will be devised by the government to bring Nawaz Sharif back to the country and to initiate legal proceedings against Shahbaz Sharif as the guarantor of his brother.

Punjab government spokesperson Hassan Khawar confirmed that a notification has been issued in this regard, according to which the medical board comprise Dr Mohammad Arif Nadeem, Dr Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab, Dr Saqib Saeed, Dr Shahid Hameed, Dr Bilal S Mohi-ud-din, Dr Ambreen Hamid, Dr Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Dr Moona Aziz, and Dr Khadija Irfan.

It is worth mentioning here that the federal government on Wednesday had asked for experts' opinions related to the medical reports of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

In the light of the federal cabinet’s decision, the attorney-general for Pakistan (AGP) had written a letter to the Punjab government directing it to receive an opinion from relevant experts regarding the medical reports of former premier Nawaz Sharif submitted in Lahore High Court (LHC) and assess whether his condition has improved.

Bringing Nawaz back

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the federal cabinet had also decided to approach the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif as he was the guarantor for his brother, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's, return to Pakistan.

"It was not right of Nawaz Sharif to act regarding his health issues. And to bring him back, the federal cabinet has decided to approach the court," the information minister said.

A timeline of Nawaz Sharif's case

• On the night between October 21 and 22, 2019, Nawaz Sharif's condition deteriorated and he was shifted to a hospital.
• On October 25, Nawaz Sharif was granted bail on medical grounds in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
• On October 26, Nawaz Sharif was granted interim bail on humanitarian grounds in the Al-Azizia reference.
• On October 26, Nawaz Sharif suffered a mild heart attack, Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid confirmed the development.
• On October 29, Nawaz Sharif's sentence was suspended for two months on medical grounds in the Al-Azizia reference.
• He was discharged from Nawaz Sharif Services Hospital and was shifted to Jati Umra.
• On November 8, Shahbaz Sharif requested the Interior Ministry to remove Nawaz Sharif's name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
• On November 12, the federal cabinet gave Nawaz Sharif conditional permission to leave the country.
• On November 14, the PML-N challenged the condition of indemnity bond in the Lahore High Court.
• On November 16, the Lahore High Court allowed Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment.
• On November 19, 2019, Nawaz Sharif left for London for his treatment.